February 04, 2015, 12:55PM

In the aftermath of the Civil War, owners of plantation houses were determined, like Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind," that their homesteads would survive, even if they could barely afford to keep the roofs intact. More than a century later, one of those mansions along the Mississippi River inspired the design of a Kenner home that replicates... Full story »

February 03, 2015, 1:06PM

The footprint remains the same as when it was first built, and only a few updates have been made over the years. Like many of the houses of the time period, it was built with an eye on the future. Full story »

January 28, 2015, 12:39PM

DIY renovations often are family affairs, with thrifty homeowners reaching out to relatives who know how to swing a hammer, plumb a bathroom or paint a ceiling. Vlad and Anna Ghelase had a more novel way of involving his Romanian family in the extensive remodel of their Algiers Point home. Before and after: Click here to see photos of the... Full story »

January 21, 2015, 10:43AM

Attorneys Sidney Torres III and Roberta L. Burns share their home and property with a menagerie of very fortunate animals. Four Great Danes, five cats, a slew of pygmy goats and miniature burros, and a dozen gorgeous Paso Fino horses laze about this bucolic swath of lower St. Bernard Parish. Among them is Excalibur, a national champion who enjoys... Full story »

January 08, 2015, 9:25AM

Shrouded in kelly green wallpaper hand-painted in China, Henson and Carolyn Moore's Baton Rouge dining room provides a taste of the couple's home décor story. The brightly hued floral blooms and one-of-a-kind peacock design on the walls were painted on swaths of silk and shipped in panels from China to Baton Rouge. The sunken arch atop the built-in shelves... Full story »

January 07, 2015, 8:45AM

For 25 years, Don Helgeson lived in a 3,000-square-foot home in River Ridge with a "big yard, big garden, swimming pool, the whole bit," he said. Most weekends, he recalls, were spent cutting grass and weeding beds. One day, he told his wife, "I'm never cutting this grass again." The lawn wasn't his proverbial last straw, but it was... Full story »

December 23, 2014, 9:15AM

When Tania Tetlow and Gordon Stewart were looking for a new house for their growing family, they sought a location that first and foremost would be welcoming to children. Uptown, near a small park, they found a leafy enclave blocks from the river. Tight-knit residents call the spot Sleepy Hollow. "The nice thing is, normally, to get to know... Full story »

December 17, 2014, 9:00AM

Curious onlookers and walking tour groups, even those who stand on tiptoes and crane their necks, rarely get much of a glimpse of the wonders that lie just on the other side of this sky blue gate engraved with the cryptic words: Cite Thierry 1814 -- 1940. Tom Reagan's French Quarter home is a hidden landmark. One of the... Full story »

December 06, 2014, 9:04AM

December 02, 2014, 11:10AM

Forget Mr. Rogers. Kids in the tree-shaded Old Metairie enclave might like the Pittmans -- Michael, Bonnie and their 12-year-old son, Casey -- to be their neighbors. Especially after the Pittmans, in 2012, added onto the left side of their home, building an airy pavilion that accommodates adult parties as well as a never-ending stream of Casey's friends. Brother... Full story »

December 02, 2014, 7:00AM

Their diminutive size may make them hard for ole Saint Nick to fill, but these very special stockings are a gift on their own — no wrapping required. Just under 7 inches tall and 4 inches wide, the stocking-shaped ornaments are made from remnants of the antique textiles that Rebecca Vizard uses for her exclusive pillow collection, B. Viz... Full story »

November 25, 2014, 9:00AM

Eight years ago, while working for the NBC station in Birmingham, broadcast journalist Jennifer Hale received an assignment to cover a series of nine church arsons in rural Alabama, an area so desolate the only place to eat was a lunch counter in a lone gas station. With nothing to do during downtime, the enterprising reporter hit the road. Deep... Full story »

November 24, 2014, 8:45AM

The facade of Danielle Kavanagh's Old Metairie home, stately and earth toned with generous window bays and a mansard-like roof, belies the stylistic surprise waiting on the other side of the grand front entrance. Behind the carved wood doors is a pellucid pop of light and glamour in the form of Kavanagh's contemporary foyer. Metairie Park Country Day School... Full story »

November 19, 2014, 11:42AM

The master bedroom in Erin and Justin Schaumburg's Mandeville home has the serenity of a spa -- white and bright, with French doors leading to the pool and a Swedish-style four-poster bed draped in pillowy soft linens. Drenched in natural light, it's one of Erin's favorite rooms in the house. But it's not where they usually sleep. On most... Full story »

November 12, 2014, 8:30AM

Al Ormsby is influenced by the little things that surround him. A beam of sun. A stone he saw somewhere. A leaf falling from a tree. For this Covington sculptor, the interplay of light, shape and color isn't just in what he does, it's in where he lives. "We are living with art," Ormsby said of the brick ranch-style... Full story »